Feeding device for knitting-machines.



APPLIOATION FILED JULY 6, 1908.

Patented Aug. 9,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

"It uonnu PM!!! cm, WASHINGTON. n. c.

J. ROGGINGER. FEEDING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULYS, 1908. Patented Aug. 9,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

His NORRIS F'ETERS cu., wasmucrou, n c.

J-. ROGGINGER.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MAGHINEfi urmoumx mum mus, 1908.

966,707. Patented Aug. 9,1910.

U H i a 20 u a 7 I v u! w l IHI (J J. ROGGINGER.

' FEEDING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1908.

Patented Aug. 9, 191.0.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.-

NORRIS PETERS co WASHINGY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ROGGINGER, OF WAUPUN, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO PARAMOUNT KNITTINGCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 9, 1910.

Application filed July 6, 1908. Serial No. 442,001.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ROGGINGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at \Vaupun, in the county of Fond du Lac and State ofWVisconsin, have invented an Improvement in Feeding Devices forKnitting- Machines, of which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on thedrawing representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of an automaticknitting machine primarily designed for the knitting of stockings, andin which the change from plain to ribbed work is made automatically uponthe same machine.

The invention comprises certain features, which in addition are adaptedfor use on knitting machines for doing other kinds of work.

This invention is particularly designed as an improvement upon theknitting machine illustrated and described in full in United StatesPatent Reissue No. 12,917, granted February 9, 1909, for knittingmachine, and in certain features further illustrated and described inPatent No. 879,821, granted February 18, 1908, for thread-feedingmechanism for knitting machines. The invention of said patents, aspecific embodiment of which is illustrated therein, presents anautomatic machine in which are combined all the various featuresnecessary to-make a commercial stocking with a ribbed leg and reinforcedtoe and heel portions all of proper and appropriate weight throughoutand of sightly appearance when finished and worn. Such a stocking isdescribed in Patent No. 628,864, granted June 13, 1899, and serves as anexcellent illustration of the character of work capable of beingperformed automatically upon the said machine.

In this machine in the form illustrated asan embodiment of the inventionof the said patents, the work is preferably commenced at the toe pouchand carried on automatically to the completion of a ribbed leg stockingwith the plain circular web at the top. fact in the case when theknitting takes place in the opposite direction, a change of thread isnecessary on the passage from In such a form of stocking, or in plain toribbed work because so many more stitches are formed in forming theribbed portion than in the plain portion that unless a lighter yarn beemployed in the ribbed than in the plain a bulky and unsightly rib willbe formed, but in which ever direction the knitting takes place andwhenever the ratio of the stitches between the ribbed and plain sectionsis differently proportioned the juncture between the ribbed and plainsection is a weak point in the stocking and one of less durability.

The present invention provides a knitting machine which, during a periodwhich eX- tends over the change from plain to ribbed work, or viceversa, or a period beginning at a predetermined point before the changeand extending after the change, supplies to that set of needles onlyemployed in knitting the plain work a reinforcing thread, and at thesame time provides for securing the requisite tension on the fabricbeing knit to secure the casting off of the stitches from the needles inaction. The reinforcing thread so supplied strengthens the point ofjuncture between the ribbed and plain work and increases the durabilityof the stocking at this point. The reinforcing thread preferably extendsthrough a few adjacent courses on each side of the juncture. In thatform of stocking particularly designed to be knit on the machine beforementioned wherein the knitting proceeds from the plain to the ribbedportion the line of juncture between the plain and ribbed sections ismarked by a row of holes usually quite noticeable and caused by the dialneedles, or the needles thrown into position to aid in making the rib,holding up the thread, which in the case of the plain knitting passesdirectly across between the loops formed on the cylinder needles or theneedles employed in making plain knitting.

The present invention supplies the reinforcing thread to the cylinderneedles only, or the needles employed in knitting plain work only, sothat when the dial needles, or the needles which in conjunction with theother set knit the ribbed work are thrown into action the reinforcingthread will still be taken only by the cylinder needles or the needlesemployed in knitting the plain work,

. the thread-feeding mechanism.

and as a result the holes referred to will be avoided and the desiredreinforcement secured at the same time, because the reinforcing threadwill pass directly across and fill the spaces which would otherwiseappear as holes.

The specific means which is herein illustrated as one element of themachine securing the above results is of itself novel and adapted foruse in other forms of knitting machines for supplying a thread to theneedles.

The invention also broadly considered presents means actingautomatically at predetermined desired times to supply threads asdesired to two sets of needles, one set of which when in action aloneforms plain work, and both sets of which when in action conjointly formribbed work, one of the said threads being supplied only to that setwhich forms the plain work, and being supplied out of reach of theefiective action of the other set, while another thread or threads issupplied to the needles in such position that it may be taken by bothsets. Specifically considered, as in the case of a set of dial and a setof cylinder needles the invention provides means for supplying thethreads above and below the dial needles so that in the one case theywill be caught by both sets and in the other case by the cylinderneedles alone, the time and duration of the supply being automaticallydetermined.

The invention will be more particularly described and illustrated in theaccompanying description and drawings, and more definitely pointed outin the appended claims, but while certain s ecific mechanisms are shownas the pre erable embodiment of the invention, still the invention is abroad one and such description is not considered to constitute anylimitation of the claims other than required by their terms.

The drawings represent the invention in its preferred form as embodiedin a machine of the type illustrated in the above-mentioned patents.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of the machine as is necessaryto illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion ofthe machine. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partially in cross-section, ofa portion of the machine to illustrate the means for supplying thethreads to the needles. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of a portion of themachine generally similar to the portion shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is atop plan view of a portion of the machine showing Fig. 6 is a plan viewof the detailed construction concealed in Fig. 5.

The operation and construction of the en tire machine (except as tofeatures hereinafter described), is fully set forth in theaboveanentioned patents, and reference may be had thereto for a morecomplete understanding of the details of the machine. No more extendedreference will, therefore, be made to the construction and operation ofthe other parts of the machine than is necessary to convey anunderstanding of the invention herein involved.

The main construction of the machine and its operative parts are all asshown in the aforesaid patents. The framework with the side-plates A, A,adapted to rest upon the floor, but herein shown as broken off, thetieplate A connecting the side plates and sup porting the working partsof the machine, the stands A erected on the tie-plate and supporting thecross-bars or beams A, the four posts A supporting the top-plate of themachine A, the uprights A erected upon the top plate and carrying attheir upper ends the rigid cross-bar A the rod A mounted in the crossbarA and vertically and rotarily adjustable, the dial needle bed Aconnected to the lower end of the rod A, the dial cam-plate B with itsgroove Z), the toothed wheel B governing the locking and unlocking ofthe dial cam-plate in the change from plain circular or reciprocating toribbed knitting, and vice versa, the bobbin-carrier B with its bobbins Bfor the required threads, the cam-cylinder B driven from the camcylinder moving shaft B, through the bevel gears 13, B the collar-plateB, with its pins B constituting a clutch for locking either the gear 13or B to the shaft 13, the power shaft B, the separately driven loosepulleys B B, the clutch B for locking either of the loose pulleys to theshaft 13', the gear B on the shaft B engaging the gear B on the shaft B,the gear B connecting the gears B and B, which latter gear thus receivescontinuous motion from the power shaft, the rack B, connected by thelink B to the gear B and engaging the gear B to give a constantlyoscillating motion, the needle-cylinder C grooved to receive the latchneedles 0, the pattern surface chain 1) for controlling the putting ofthe needles into and out of operative position and for controlling thesupplying of the threads to the needles, the shaft D driving said chainand driven through. the ratchet wheel I)". pawl D, lever D cam D movingwith the gear B, the controller-chain f passing over the wheel f anddriven by the ratchet-wheel f pawl f lever f and projection e on gear B,the lever a shifted by the cam projection 6 on the bar 6 from the mainpattern chain, the slotted switch. 6 on the lever 0 moved by the pin orprojection e from the block 0" on the gear B the clutchcontrolling lever0 operated by the lever 0 the pattern cylinder d, the raising bar dthereon for raismg the needles to inactive position, the ratchet wheel(Z and pawl (Z for operating the cylinder through the cam d and lever d,the means for causing the rotation of the cylinder cl at intervals only,the means for changing the speed of the cam cylinder, the lever D drivenfrom the cam D and carrying the pawl D engaging the ratchet-- wheel D torotate the shaft D the detent-pawl D to prevent the reverse rotation ofthe shaft D the take-up mechanism comprising the fiuted rolls, one ofwhich is positively driven by the shaft D and the other D of which isspringpressed with an adjustable pressure controlled by the set-screws Dagainst the first, the yoke D carrying the guiding roll D directlybeneath the needle cylinder, the cross-bar 10 extending from the yoke,the suspending rod w carrying the weights to and embracing the cross-bar10 the rod Ll/' connecting the suspending rod w to a lift-lever wpivoted at w and having its upper end w in the path of a suitable riseror projection on the pattern cylinder d, the second connecting rod 10engaging the cross-bar'w of the yoke B and connected to a second liftlever pivoted at w, and having its upper end w in the path of othersuitable risers on the said pattern cylinder d, the arm D projectingfrom the yoke-frame D by means of which the yoke-frame may be raised byhand and by means of which the operation of the take-up rolls isprevented by raising the lever D out of engagement with the cam D whenthe yoke-frame is raised sufficiently to remove all weight from the web,the grab shown as a stem or bar 214 carrying at its upper end the claw216, weighted at its lower end at 215, and raised at the required timesby the lever 212 from the lugs 209, on the pattern cylinder d, thethread-guide stand T secured to the top of the cam cylinder B by thescrew 25 projecting through the slot 6 so as to oscillate back and forthduring reciprocating knitting and held at the extremes of its movementby the springs 9 the flange T projecting upward fronr the stand T andsupporting the threadguide operating devices, the second flange Tsupporting the frame T and the ring 128, the thread-guides 25* providedwith the tubular ends 25 the levers connected to the thread-guides andpivoted to the threadguide stand, the studs 25 with the toothed wheels Zmounted thereon and carrying the face-cams t for operating the levers tthe springs for braking rotation of the wheels Z and cams thethread-catcher slide arms 8, the springs s for pressing them in onedirection and the levers s for actuating them in the opposite directionfrom the face cam 8 on the Stud 2?, the arms 8 actuated by theslide-arms 8 formed at their lower pivotal ends to present the sleevecams 8 the clamping sleeves mounted on the shaft 8 and formed with thefianges or thread catchers 8 clamping against the horizontally-arrangedwall of the support 8, notched at its forward end at 8 the verticallymovable pins '2), o, v v '1)", 42 r 0 actuated by risers on thepatternchain D at the proper times, together with the stationary pins190, 191, 192, to secure the operation of the toothed wheels t, and theconsequent operation of the threadguides t and thread catchers s, tothrow in and out the desired threads, each and all are fully describedand their operations setforth in the aforesaid patents.

The drawing illustrates on the thread stand bobbin carrier B places forfour bob bins B three of which are shown the other being concealed bythe middle bobbin shown. Any desired number of bobbins may be employeddepending upon the character of the work, but as herein illustrated fourthreads are provided for, first a large or coarse thread to be used inknitting the heel and toe pouches, second a medium or fine thread to beused for the top of the foot, third a still finer thread to be used forthe ribbed leg portion, and fourth, a thread suitable for reinforcingthe juncture between the ribbed and plain portions. The first namedthreads are controlled by the thread-guides and thread-catcherscooperating therewith in the manner set forth in the before-mentionedpatents.

The fourth thread is controlled by a suitable mechanism whereby it ispresented to the cylinder needles below or out of range of the effectiveaction of the dial needles. The preferred form of such mechanism isillustrated in detail in Figs. 3, 5 and 6.

A thread-guide 300 mounted upon the thread-guide stand T receives thefourth thread and carries it down through the tubular end of thethread-guide to a position adjacent to the cylinder needles C and belowthe path of the dial needles.

A bracket 301 is mounted on the threadguide stand T beneath thethread-guide 300 and has pivoted thereon a thread-catcher 302,preferably extending over the mouth of the thread-guide 300 and formingtherewith a clamp for the thread.

An air compressor, herein shown as a cylinder 303, and piston 30%, ismounted at a convenient point on the thread-guide stand T. A tube 305connects the air compressor to' the tubular portion 300 of thethread-guide, entering the same in a tangential direction as shown inFig. 6.

An automatic means is provided for operating the air compressor and thethread clamp, herein shown as a bell-crank lever 306, 310, pivoted at307 on the thread-guide stand, and operated by a pin 308 projected intothe path of the end thereof by a suitably placed riser 309 on thepattern chain D, as in the case of the other pins v v etc., alreadydescribed.

The shorter arm of the bell-crank lever is connected by means of a link311 to an arm 312, pivoted on the bracket 301. The thread-catcher 302 isprovided with a camshaped end 313, against which the arm 312 operates toswing it away from the end of the thread-guide tube 300 and with acoiled spring 31 1 which acts to return it to clamp ing position. Thebell-crank lever 306, 310, is also normally held by the spring 315 withits arm 306 away from the air compressor. The piston 304C and aircompressor is connected with the arm 306 of the lever by a pin and slotconnection so that there is lost motion between the same, and as aresult the first movement of the lever arm 306 actuated by the pin 308will serve to release the clamp before it moves the piston.

The air compressor is provided with a suitable valve at the mouth of thetube 305, and this valve is herein shown as a ball 316, seated by aspring 317, the fit of the ball and seat being such that air may feedback slowly past the same.

In operation when it is desired to introduce the reinforcing thread, asfor example in one of the courses preceding the change from plain toribbed work, the riser 309 is suitably placed on the pattern chain D soas to project at the proper time the pin 308 into the path of the arm306 of the lever. As the thread-guide stand T is carried around on themachine the curved end of the arm of the lever strikes the pin 308swinging the lever slightly and by means of the intermediate connectionsmoving the catcher 302 away from the end of the tubular thread-guide300, thus unclamping the thread. Immediately thereafter the continuedmovement of the arm 306 of the lever moves the piston 30a inwardly,compressing the air which at once puffs out through the tubular end ofthe thread-guide and projects the thread at once into the path of thecylinder needles, below and out of reach of the dial needles so that thethread is supplied only to the cylinder needles. The knitting thenproceeds and the valve 316 is so arranged that the air will feed inat'such a speed as to allow the piston to return and with it the lever306, 310, thus allowing the thread catcher 302 to clamp the threadagainst the end of the tubular guide 300 when the desired number ofcourses have been knit with the reinforcing thread.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. In a knitting machine, two sets of needles and operative devices toproduce either ribbed or plain work as desired and to effect the changefrom plain to ribbed work, means automatically actuated at apredetermined point prior, and automatically thrown out of operationsubsequent, to the change from plain to ribbed work, for supplying areinforcing thread to one set of needles only.

2. In a knitting machine, two sets of needles and operative devices toproduce either ribbed or plain work as desired and to effect the changefrom plain to ribbed work, means automatically actuated at apredetermined point prior, and automatically thrown out of operationsubsequent, to the change from plain to ribbed work, to supply anotherthread beneath one set of needles to the other set whereb said threadbeing taken by one set of nee les fills up the holes that wouldotherwise be left at the juncture between the plain and ribbed work.

3. In a knitting machine, two sets of me dles and operative devices toproduce either ribbed or plain work as desired and to effect the changefrom plain to ribbed work, threadfeeding mechanism for automaticallychanging the threads during the knitting operation as desired, meansautomatically actuated at a predetermined point prior, and automaticallythrown out of operation subsequent, to the change from plain to ribbedwork, for supplying a reinforcing thread to one set of needles only.

4. In a knitting machine, two sets of needles and operative devices toproduce either ribbed or plain work as desired and to effect the changefrom plain to ribbed work, threadfeeding mechanism for automaticallychanging the threads during the knitting operation as desired, meansautomatically actuated at a predetermined point prior, and automaticallythrown out of operation subsequent, to the change from plain to ribbedwork, to supply another thread beneath one set of needles to the otherset whereby said thread being taken by one set of needles fills up theholes that would otherwise be left at the juncture between the plain andribbed work.

5. In a circular knittin machine, a set of cylinder needles, a set ofdial needles, means for operating the said needles to produce eitherribbed or plain Work as desired, thread feeding mechanism for supplyinthread above the dialneedles to both the cy inder and dial needles, orto the cylinder needles alone for forming said ribbed. or plain workrespectively, and thread-feeding mechanism for supplying thread belowsaid dial needles to the cylinder needles only.

6. In a circular knitting machine, a set of cylinder needles, a set ofdial needles, means for operating the said needles to produce eitherribbed or plain work as desired, means for continuously supplying one ormore threads to said cylinder needles above said dial needles, means forautomatically supplying a thread to said cylinder needles below saiddial needles during a predetermined period of the conjoint operation ofboth sets of needles.

7. In a circular knitting machine, a set of cylinder needles, a set ofdial needles, means for operating the said needles to produce eitherribbed or plain work as desired, means for continuously supplying one ormore threads to said cylinder needles above said dial needles and forautomatically changing said threads as desired, means for automatic allysupplying a reinforcing thread to said cylinder needles below said dialneedles during a predetermined period of the conjoint operation of bothsets of needles.

8. In a knitting machine, a set of needles and operative devices toproduce plain work, a second set of needles and operative devices toproduce in conjunction with said first set ribbed work, means to effectthe change from plain to ribbed work, thread-feeding mechanism includingmeans for supplying a reinforcing thread during a predetermined periodextending over the change from plain to ribbed work to the needles ofsaid first set only. 7

9. In a knitting machine, a set of needles and operative devices toproduce plain work, a second set of needles and operative devices toproduce in conjunction with said first set ribbed work, means to effectthe change from plain to ribbed work, thread-feeding mechanism includingmeans for supplying a reinforcing thread during a predetermined periodextending over the change from plain to ribbed work to the needles ofsaid first set only, and means for automatically increasing the tensionon the fabric being knit prior to the change from plain to ribbed work.-

10. In a knitting machine, a set of needles and operative devices toproduce plain work, a second set of needles and operative devices toproduce in conjunction with said first set ribbed work, means to effectthe change from plain to ribbed work, thread-feeding mechanism includingmeans for supplying a reinforcing thread during a predetermined periodextending over the change from plain to ribbed work to the needles ofsaid first set only, and means automatically controlled upon the changefrom plain to ribbed work for securing the requisite tension on thefabric for casting ofi the stitches from the needles in action.

11. In a knitting machine, a set of needles.

period extending over the change from plain to ribbed Work to theneedles of said first set only, and take-up mechanism for the fabricbeing knit, means for automatically controlling the action of thetake-up mechanism upon the change from plain to ribbed knitting toincrease the tension on the fabric and secure the casting off of thestitches from the needles in action.

12. In a circular knitting machine, a set of cylinder needles, a set ofdial needles, means for operating the said needles to pro duce eitherribbed or plain work as desired, means to effect the change from plainto ribbed work, means automatically actuated at a predetermined pointprior, and automatically thrown out of operation subsequent, to thechange from plain to ribbed work for supplying a reinforcing threadbenezlith the dial needles to the cylinder needles on y.

13. In a circular knitting machine, a set of cylinder needles, a set ofdial needles, means for operating the said needles to produce eitherribbed or plain work as desired, means to effect the change from plainto ribbed work, means automatically actuated at a predetermined pointprior, and automatically thrown out of operation subsequent, to thechange from plain to ribbed work for supplying a reinforcing threadbeneath the dial needles to the cylinder needles only, and means forautomatically increasing the tension on the fabric being knit prior tothe change from plain to ribbed work.

let. In a circular knitting machine, a set of cylinder needles, a set ofdial needles, means for operating the said needles to produce eitherribbed or plain work as desired, means to efi'ect the change from plainto ribbed work, means automatically actuated at a predetermined pointprior, and automatically thrown out of operation subsequent, to thechange from plain to ribbed work for supplying a reinforcing thread be-1 neath the dial needles to the cylinder needles only, and meansautomatically controlled upon the change from plain to ribbed work forsecuring the requisite tension on the fabric for casting off thestitches from the needles in action.

15. In a circular knitting machine, a set of cylinder needles, a set ofdial needles, means for operating the said needles to produce eitherribbed or plain work as desired, means to efiect the change from plainto ribbed work, means automatically actuated at a predetermined pointprior, and automatically thrown out of operation subsequent, to thechange from plain to ribbed work for supplying a reinforcing threadbeneath the dial needles to the cylinder needles only, take-up mechanismfor the fabric being knit, means for automatically controlfrom theneedles in action.

16. In a circular knitting machine, two sets of needles, one set ofwhich when in action alone forms plain work and the second set of whichwhen in action conjointly with the first set forms ribbed work, and

operative devices in connection with said needles to produce eitherribbed or plain work as desired, thread feeding mechanism operative topresent thread within or out of range of the effective action of thesecond set of needles, and means for automatically controlling thepresentation of thread by said feeding mechanism at either or both ofsaid places as desired at or during predetermined periods.

17. In a circular knitting machine, two sets of needles and operativedevices to produce either ribbed or plain work as desired, threadfeeding mechanism operative to present thread above and below one set ofneedles, and means for automatically controlling the presentation ofthread by said feeding mechanism at either of said places as desired atand during predetermined periods.

18. In a circular knitting machine, two sets of needles and operativedevices to pro- (luce either ribbed or plain work as desired, threadfeeding mechanism operative to present thread above and below one set ofneedles, and means for automatically controlling the presentation ofthread by said feeding mechanism at either or both of said places asdesired at and during predetermined periods.

19. In a knitting machine, two sets of needles, one set of which when inaction alone forms plain work and the second set of which when in actionconjointly with the first set forms ribbed work, and operative devicesto produce either ribbed or plain work as desired and to effect thechange from plain to ribbed work, and threadmanipulating means,including means for automatically actuating the same, for extendingthread across the holes that would otherwise be left at the juncturebetween the plain iiiid ribbed work to close the same.

20. In a knitting machine, a set of c linder needles, a set of dialneedles, means or operating the said needles to produce either plain orribbed work as desired, and threadmanipulating means, including meansfor automatically actuating the same, for extending thread across theholes that would otherwise be left at the juncture between the plain andribbed work to close the same.

21. In a knitting machine, two sets of needles, one set of which when inaction alone forms plain work and the second set of which when in actionconjointly with the first set forms ribbed work, and oaerative devicesto produce either ribbe or plain work as desired and to effect thechange from plain to ribbed work, threadinanipulating means, includingmeans for automatically actuating the same, for eX- tending threadacross the holes that would otherwise be left at the juncture betweenthe plain and ribbed work to close the same, and means automaticallycontrolled upon the change from plain to ribbed work for securing therequisite tension on the fabric for casting off the stitches from theneedles in action.

22. In a knitting machine, a set of cylinder needles, a set of dialneedles, means for operating the said needles to produce either plain orribbed work as desired, threadmanipulating means, including means forautomatically actuating the same, for extending thread across the holesthat would otherwise be left at the juncture between the plain andribbed work to close the same, and means automatically controlled uponthe change from plain to ribbed work for securing the requisite tensionon the fabric for casting off the stitches from the needles in action.

- In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN ROGGTNGER.

Witnesses:

JAMES MURRAY, FARL BRowN.

